Google Changes to SERP Data Collection

Late last week, Google quietly removed the ability to see 100 search results per page. For years, adding the “&num=100” parameter to a search URL would return the top 100 results on a single page. That option is now gone.

In what has already been a dynamic year for search, this change is rippling through the SEO industry. Rank tracking tools, including Semrush, traditionally rely on this parameter to efficiently capture organic results at scale. Without it, getting the full top 100 results now requires 10 times as many requests, making the process significantly more resource-intensive.

It’s not just third-party platforms feeling the effects. Many SEOs are also noticing issues in Google Search Console performance reports. Brodie Clark and others have reported unusual shifts, including sharp declines in desktop impressions and spikes in average position.

For most marketers, the data that matters most is still intact.

In other words: the most actionable ranking data remains available, and while deeper ranges may be less stable in the short term, they should be seen as supplementary insights rather than critical decision-making signals.

This is an industry-wide issue that impacts all rank tracking tools, but the good news is that we’ve already rolled out workarounds to minimize disruption and keep core functionality intact.

These are interim adjustments, and over the coming weeks, we'll refine our approach and share updates as longer-term solutions are rolled out. 

We know your business relies on this data. Our goal is to be fully transparent as the situation evolves and to ensure that Semrush remains your most reliable source of search insights.